Addressing apparatus

ABSTRACT

THERE IS DISCLOSED AN ADDRESSING SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ADDRESSING APPARATUS AND ADDRESSING METHODS AND MATERIALS USED THERIN. A SET OF MASTER CARDS IS PROVIDED FORMEDOF POROUT TAB CARD STOCK IMPREGNATED WITH A SENSITIZER VAPORIZABLE AT 100* C. TO 160*C. AND HAVING A SELECTED AREA ON ONE FACE THEREOF FOR THE ADDRESSIN INFRARED ABSORBINGINK; AN DISCLOSED, THE MASTER CARD IS MADE BY PASSING THE POROUS TAB CARD STOCK THROUGH A BATH CONTAINING THE SENSITIZER AND A SOLVENT THEREFOR, AFTER WHICH THE SOLVENT IS EVAPORATED. THE SET OF MASTER CARDS IS THEN EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE A MASTER TAPE THAT IS A STRIP OF NON-POROUS RELEASE MATERIAL THAT IS OLEOPHOBIC AND TRANS PARENT TO INFRARED RADIATION, AND CARRYING THEREON REVERSE READING COPIES OF THE ADDRESSES IN THE FORM OF BODIES OF PARTIALLY FUSED TONER APPLIED TO ONE SIDE OF THE MASTER TAPE; THE ADDRESSES ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE MASTER CARDS TO THE MASTER TAPE UTILIZING A NOVEL APPARATUS AND METHOD WHEREIN A PRINTING STATION IS PROVIDED HAVING A FIRST SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION THEREAT, FIRST FEED MECHANISM FOR FEEDING THE MASTER CARDS SEQUENTIALLY TO THE PRINTING STATION AND A SECOND FEED MECHANISM FOR FEEDING THE MASTER TAPE TO THE PRINTING STATION TO POSITION A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THE MASTER TAPE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE ADDRESS ON A MASTER CARD POSITIONED AT THE PRINTING STATION, THEREAFTER OPERATING THE FIRST SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION TO VAPORIZE FROM THE MASTER CARD SENSITIZER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS THEREON ONTO THE ONE SURFACE OF THE MASTER TAPE, APPLYING A TONER TO THE MASTER TAPE TO ADHERE TONER TO THE SENSITIZER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS, AND THEREAFTER EXPOSING THE MASTER TAPE CARRYING THE POWDERED TONER TO A SECOND SOURCE OF INFRARED RADIATION FOR AT LEAST PARTIALLY FUSING THE TONER TO PROVIDE A REVERSE READING COPY OF THE ADDRESS ON THE MASTER TAPE. THE TONER COMPRISES A VEHICLE BODY OF WOOD ROSIN AND POLYMERIZED RESIN, MODIFIERS OF POLYAMIDE RESIN AND A HYDROCARBON RESIN AND PIGMENT OF CARBON BLACK. THE MASTER TAPE WITH THE ADDRESSES THEREON IN PARTIALLY FUSED TONER IS THEN FED TO AN ADDRESSING STATION WHERE AN ENVELOP OR OTHER ARTICLE TO BE ADDRESSED IS PLACED WITH THE SURFACE THEREOF AGAINST THE PARTIALLY FUSED TONER ON A SECTION OF THE MASTER TAPE AFTER WHICH HEAT AND PRESSURE ARE APPLIED THERETO TO TRANSFER THE BODIES OF TONER TO THE ENVELOPE AND FULLY TO FUSE THE TONER TO PROVIDE ON THE ENVELOPE BODIES OF FULLY FUSED TONER IN AREAS CORRESPONDING TO THE ADDRESS ON A MASTER CARD.

United States Patent Morley et al.

[ 1 Nov.7,l972

[54] ADDRESSING APPARATUS [72] Inventors: Ronald I. Morley, Berkeley,Calif; Raymond W. Biernat, St. Paul, Minn.; Arnold J. Smidt-Hayer, FallsChurch, Va.

[73] Assignee: Dymo Industries, Inc., Berkeley,

Calif.

22 Filed: Feb. 18,1971 21 Appl.N0.: 116,552

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 643,718, June 5,1967,

Pat. No. 3,607,527.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,044,395 7/1962 Ackell etal. "101/65 3,121,650 2/1964 Meissner 156/240 3,471,309 10/1969 Thompson..117/1.7 3,596,093 7/l97l Boatman et a1 ..250/65 PrimaryExaminer-Robert F. Burnett Assistant Examiner-Robert A. DawsonAttorney.Prangley, Clayton, Mullin, Dithmar & Vogel [57] ABSTRACT Thereis disclosed an addressing system including an addressing apparatus andaddressing methods and materials used therein. A set of master cards isprovided formed of porous tab card stock impregnated with a sensitizervaporiz able at10 0 "C to 160 fC antl having a selected area on one facethereof for the address in infrared absorbing ink; as disclosed, themaster card is made by passing the porous tab card stock through a bathcontaining the sensitizer and a solvent therefor, after which thesolvent is evaporated. The set of master cards is then employed toprovide a master tape that is a strip of non-porous release materialthat is oleophobic and transparent to infrared radiation, and carryingthereon reverse reading copies of the addresses in the form of bodies ofpartially fused toner applied to one side of the master tape; theaddresses are transferred from the master cards to the master tapeutilizing a novel apparatus and method wherein a printing station isprovided having a first source of infrared radiation thereat, first feedmechanism for feeding the master cards sequentially to the printingstation and a second feed mechanism for feeding the master tape to theprinting station to position a predetermined portion of the master tapeimmediately adjacent to the address on a master card positioned at theprinting station, thereafter operating the first source of infraredradiation to vaporize from the master card sensitizer in areascorresponding to the address thereon onto the one surface of the mastertape, applying a toner to the master tape to adhere toner to thesensitizer in areas corresponding to the address, and thereafterexposing the master tape carrying the powdered toner to a second sourceof infrared radiation for at least partially fusing the toner to providea reverse reading copy of the address on the master tape. The tonercomprises a vehicle body of wood rosin and polymerized resin, modifiersof polyamide resin and a hydrocarbon resin and pigment of carbon black.The master tape with the addresses thereon in partially fused toner isthen fed to an addressing station where an envelop or other article tobe addressed is placed with the surface thereof against the partiallyfused toner on a section of the master tape after which heat andpressure are applied thereto to transfer the bodies of toner to theenvelope and fully to fuse the toner to provide on the envelope bodiesof fully fused toner in areas corresponding to the address on a mastercard.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED H 71972 SHEET 2 BF 2 InvenforsRONALD I. MORLEY RAYMOND W BIERNAT ARNOLD J SMIDT-HAYE R.

ATTYS ADDRESSING APPARATUS This application is a division of theco-pending application Ser. No. 643,718, filed June 5, 1967 for AD-DRESSING APPARATUS AND. METHODS AND MATERIALS, now U.S. Pat. No.3,607,527. The present invention relates to an addressing system, andmore specifically to improved addressing apparatus and addressingmethods and materials used therein.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for transferring addresses from a group of master cards onto amaster tape, wherein each master card has thereon an address in infraredabsorbing material and vaporizable sensitizer in the area of theaddress, and wherein the master tape has a nonporous oleophobic surfacehaving resin release characteristics and is transparent to infraredradiation, the apparatus comprising a printing station having a firstsource of infrared radiation thereat, a first feed mechanism for feedingthe master cards sequentially to the printing station to position amaster car with the address thereon in position to be exposed to thefirst source of infrared radiation, a second feed mechanism for feedingthe master tape to the printing station to position a predeterminedportion of the master tape with one surface thereof disposed immediatelyadjacent to the address on a master card positioned at the printingstation, means for operating the first source of infrared radiation tovaporize from the master card a portion of the sensitizer from areascorresponding to the address thereon onto the one surface of thepredetermined portion of the master tape to provide on the master tape afilm of sensitizer arranged in areas corresponding to the address, meansfor applying a toner to the one surface of the master tape thereby toadhere toner to the sensitizer thereon in areas corresponding to theaddress, and a second source of infrared radiation for at leastpartially fusing the toner on the master tape, thereby to provide acontinuous master tape having on predetermined portions thereof bodiesof partially fused toner in areas corresponding to the addresses on thegroup of master cards.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of thepresent invention to provide an apparatus for transferring the partiallyfused toner on the master tape to a receptor, such as an envelope, theapparatus comprising feed mechanism for feeding receptor sheetssequentially to position a receptor sheet against the bodies ofpartially fused toner on the master tape corresponding to the address ona master card, and means for applying heat and pressure to the mastertape and the receptor sheet to transfer the bodies of partially fusedtoner to the receptor sheet and fully to fuse the toner thereby toprovide on the receptor sheet bodies of fully fused toner in an areacorresponding to the address on a master card.

Further features of the invention pertain to the par- FIG. 1 is aschematic drawing of the apparatus and method for producing master cardsuseful with the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front face of a master card made for usewith the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus and method for applyingto a master tape addresses from a group of master cards, all inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the portion of theapparatus of FIG. 3 as seen in the direction of the arrows along theline 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the front surface of a portion of a master tapemade in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section through the master tape of FIG. 5along the line 6-6 thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing illustrating an apparatus and method oftransferring addresses from a master tape onto envelopes, all inaccordance with the present invention.

The addressing system of the present invention utilizes therein a mastercard 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the master card 10 being generallyrectangular in shape and having standard dimensions, such as for examplea length of 7 inches, a width of 3 /4 inches and a thickness of 7 mils.More specifically, the master card 10 is formed from a piece of poroustab card stock having capillary passages extending therethroughthroughout substantially the entire body thereof. Absorbed in thecapillary passages of the master card 10 is a quantity of vaporizablesensitizer, the master card 10 containing about one mg. of sensitizenAsillustrated, the master card 10 is further provided with a standardpunched card grid on the front face thereof, the grid being generallydesignated by the numeral 20 and comprising a series of rows of numbers,columns of such numbers being illustrated in FIG. 2. The grid 20 definesan address area 30 on the card 10 to receive therein an address 40printed in infrared or heat absorbing material, for example, in inkcontaining a high content of carbon black.

The sensitizer absorbed in the master card 10 must have certain specificproperties to be useful in .the apparatus and method of the presentinvention. A preferred sensitizer for use in the master card 10 is soldunder the designation Magie Oil 590," and is a mixture of branchedaliphatic hydrocarbons each containing at least 10 carbon atoms withbranches thereon containing up to as many as four carbon atoms. The oilfurther has an API gravity of 36, a specific gravity of 0.845, a densityof 6.9 pounds per gallon, a flash point of 335 F., a fire point of 360F., a viscosity at F. of 47, a KB. number of 22.5, a straw color, ananiline point of 187, an initial boiling point of 590 F. and an endboiling point of 63 5 F. A master card 10 having the dimensions setforth above may contain as little as 0.1 mg. of oil and up to as much as4 grams of oil, care being taken that not too much oil be present sothat the master card 10 will not feel oily to the touch.

Another preferred sensitizer for use in the master card 10 are certainalkyl esters such as dimethyl sebacate and diethyl sebacate. Yet otherpreferred sensitizers for use in the master card 10 are aromatic estersincluding dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate. A

master card having the dimensions set forth above may contain as littleas 0.1 mg. of the ester and up to as many as 4 grams of the ester.

- The master card 10 has many important advantages 4 due to thecharacter of the tab card stock of which it is made and due to thecharacter and quantity of sensitizer impregnated therein. Morespecifically, the master card 10 can have the address 40 printedthereon, or type thereon, or written thereon, or applied thereto in anyother known manner, all without interference from the sensitizer contentthereof. Furthermore, the address 40 will not bleed, smudge or block,(i.e., transfer from the face of one card to the rear of another in astack of the cards) due to the presence of sensitizer therein.Furthermore, the sensitizer does not increase the friction between cardsor the adhesiveness between cards, whereby the master cards 10 may behandled manually and in machines in the usual manner required.Furthermore, the sensitizer is non-toxic, odorless, and otherwise notobnoxious in use. Furthermore, the sensitizer does not cause the cardstock to become soft and mushy. Finally, the sensitizer has lowvolatility at ambient conditions but has a substantially partialpressure in the temperature range from about 100 to about 160 C.,whereby heating thereof will cause a vapor transfer from the master card10 to an adjacent surface. Up to 500 such vapor transfers or impressionscan be made from a single master card 10 without replenishing thesensitizer therein, and as many as eight vapor transfers or impressionsmay be made in a single working day due to the fact that the sensitizerlost in transfer is replaced due to the movement of sensitizer throughthe capillary passages in the master card 10 from areas adjacent tothose from which the sensitizer is lost by vaporization.

There is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings a schematicrepresentation of the apparatus and method of forming the master card10, the apparatus being generally designated by the numeral 100. Theapparatus 100 includes a source of porous tab card stock in the form ofa roll 101 thereof which may be, for example, 24 inches in diameter andis supported on an axle 102. A first length 105 of the tab card stockfrom the roll 101 passes over a guide pulley 120 and into a tank 130 inwhich is disposed an impregnating solution 131 that will be describedmore fully hereinafter. Another guide roller 132 is provided in the tank130 so that another section 106 of the tab card stock is disposedbetween the pulleys 120 and 132, a portion of the section 106 beingdisposed in the impregnating composition 131. From the guide roller 132another section 107 of the tab card stock extends upwardly to a pair ofcooperating pinch or nip rolls 121 and 122 which tend to squeeze excessimpregnating composition from the tab card stock, the excess compositionfalling downwardly onto an inclined surface 133 that drains back intothe tank 130. After leaving the pinch rolls 121-122, the tab card stockpasses in a length 108 to a guide roller 123 and along a length 109 to aguide roller 124 and along a length 110 to a guide roller 125 from whicha length 111 extends to a guide roller 126. The several lengths 108, 109and 110 of the impregnated tab card stock are exposed toambient'pressure and temperature conditions, whereby the solvent forminga part of the solution 131 will be evaporated therefrom leaving in thetab card stock only the sensitizer, all as explained above. The length111 of the tab card stock with the sensitizer impregnated therein hasthe grid 20 printed thereon by a printing mechanism 140 that includesmovable type 141 and a backup plate or bed 142, whereby there is printedon the tab card stock the grid 20.

After passing the printing mechanism 140, the tab card stock passes to asection 112 where a cutting mechanism 150 is provided that serves to cutthe essentially continuous tab card stock strip into individual mastercards 10, the cutting mechanism 150 including the usual die 151 and abackup plate or bed 152. The cut and finished master cards 10 are fed toa stack thereof generally designated 160.

The impregnating solution 131 is preferably a mixture of the sensitizerthat is to be impregnated into the master card 10 and a suitablevolatile solvent therefor, the preferred solvent being hexane when thesensitizer is Magie Oil 590. The hexane not only is a solvent for thesensitizer but also serves as a penetrating agent carrying thesensitizer into the tab card stock and also lowering the viscosity ofthe sensitizer to aid in the impregnation. In a preferred example, thesensitizer is Magic Oil 590 and comprises 20 percent by weight of theimpregnating solution 131 and the hexane comprises percent by weight ofthe impregnating solution 131. It has been found that the impregnatingsolution may contain as little as 5 percent by weight of the sensitizerand up to as much as 50 percent by weight of the sensitizer, theremainder being hexane. In general it is impractical to use less than 5percent by weight of sensitizer in the impregnating solution 131, and onthe other hand, if more than about 50 percent by weight of theimpregnating solution is sensitizer, then the resultant master card 10is objectionably oily to the touch. Other suitable solvents may beutilized in place of the hexane, examples being acetone, pentane,heptane, and chlorinated solvents such as dichloroethane andtrichloroethane.

In the impregnating method of FIG. 1, it is preferred that the speed ofthe web of tab card stock be about 10 feet per second, and that aboutsix inches of the tab card stock be immersed at any time in theimpregnating solution 131, thereby to give a residence time ofonetwentieth second in the impregnating solution 131. Such a residencetime is adequate to provide saturation of the tab card stock. It will beappreciated that other methods of applying the impregnating solution 131such as by spraying and the like may be substituted in place of the dipbath of FIG. 1. The vapor pressure of the solvent in the impregnatingsolution 131 must have a sufficiently high vapor pressure so that all ofthe solvent is evaporated in approximately 1 second, whereby theprinting mechanism may be disposed as short a distance as 10 feet fromthe tank 130, and still permit all of the solvent to be evaporated fromthe tab card stock before reaching the printing mechanism 140.

There is then applied to the master card 10 in the address area 30 theaddress 40 in an infrared absorbing material. The address 40 may beapplied by typing, by printing, by addressograph methods, byhandwriting, or by any other suitable method, so long as the address 40is in a heat or infrared absorbing material.

In accordance with the addressing system of the present invention, theaddress on a master card is reproduced on a master tape by distilling aportion of the sensitizer from the master card 10 in areas correspondingto the infrared absorbing indicia in the address 40 thereon onto onesurface of the master tape. Thereafter the latent image in the form of asensitizer film on the master tape is developed by passing the mastertape through a toner box where toner is picked up by the sensitizer filmto reproduce the address in the toner on the master tape. The apparatusand method of transferring addresses from a group of master cards onto amaster tape are illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the apparatus beinggenerally designated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 200. A roll 201 of mastertape 210 is mounted on a support axle 202 in a position to feed a lengthof the master tape 210 around a first guide roller 203 and a secondguide roller 204, a reciprocating type feed mechanism 220 being providedhaving a finger 221 engageable in one of a series of openings 211provided in the master tape 210 intermediate the longitudinal edgesthereof and spaced the entire length thereof, the feed mechanism 221serving to feed the master tape 210 stepwise in fixed increments fromleft to right as viewed in FIG. 3 between the guide rollers 203 and 204.There also is provided as a part of the apparatus 200, a feed mechanism230 for a stack of master cards including a magazine 231 to hold a stackof the master cards, a chute 232 leading from the magazine 231 onto apair of spaced apart conveyer belts 233 and 234 that are supported by aplurality of guide rollers 235 and a drive roller 236 connected to asource 237 of motive power for the conveyer belts 233 and 234. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, the conveyer belts 233 and 234 are spaced apartand support a master card 10 adjacent to the ends thereof thereby toleave unobstructed the address area 30 carrying the address 40 thereon,the master tape 210 overlying the address area 30 and being disposedthereagainst, the side of the master card 10 carrying the address 40therein being disposed upwardly.

The apparatus 200 also includes a printing station 240 at which isdisposed a source of infrared radiation in the form of a powerful lamp241 having its power supply 242 associated therewith. The infrared lamp241 will preferentially heat the heat absorbing ink forming address 40in the area 30 and cause a portion of the sensitizer in the master card10 to be vaporized in the area of the address 40 from the upper surfaceof the master card 10 onto the adjacent undersurface of the master tape210 where the oil is condensed in a film having areas shapedcorresponding to the address 40 in the area 30 on the master card 10.

After exposure to the lamp 241 at the printing station 240, the mastercard 10 eventually is deposited in a receptacle 238 therefor and themaster tape 210 with the latent image of the address in the form of asensitizer film thereon is fed to a toner box 250 containing a suitabletoner 251. More specifically, the master tape 210 is fed from theprinting station 240 to and over the guide roller 204 and around a guideroller 252 in the toner box 250, thereby to expose the sensitizer filmon the underside of the master tape 210 to the toner 251 in the tonerbox 250. The master tape 210 with the granular toner thereon in theareas corresponding to the address on a master card 10 is then fed pasta second source of infrared radiation in the form of a lamp 253 having apower supply 254, the lamp 253 providing intense infrared radiation atleast partially to fuse the toner on the master tape 210, thereby toprovide a continuous master tape 210 having on predetermined portionsthereof bodies of partially fused toner in the areas corresponding tothe indicia on a group of master cards 10, two such predeterminedportions 212 and 214 of the master tape 210 having been illustrated inFIG. 5 of the drawings carrying two addresses from two of the mastercards 10 thereon. More specifically, the predetermined portion of 212carries bodies 215 of toner and predetermined portion 214 carries bodies217 of partially fused toner, the bodies 215 and 217 of toner definingaddresses corresponding to the addresses on two of the master cards 10.

In order properly to operate the apparatus 200, the master tape 210 musthave certain predetermined characteristics. In one preferred form of theinvention, the master tape 210 is a glassine base paper strip (i.e., astrip of high density paper fibers treated with concentrated sodiumhydroxide to render the strip transparent) coated on at least one sidethereof with a Wemer-type chromium complex such as that sold under thetrademark Quilon, such a paper strip being offered by the RhinelanderPaper Co. under the trademark Q- ,S" (coated on both sides with theWemertype chromium complex). A master tape formed of these materials isnon-porous and oleophobic, is transparent to infrared radiation, isnon-sticky to the touch, possesses good resin release characteristics,is dry to the toner, and is non-sticky to an envelope or other mailingpiece to which the addresses thereon are to be transferred in asubsequent operation to be described hereinafter.

In place of the glassine base strip described above, there may beutilized in the present invention a parchment paper such as that sold byPatterson Parchment Company under the trademark TS-35 carrying on eachside thereof a coating of a Wernertype chromium complex such as thatsold under the trademark Quilon.

The toner 251 of the present invention preferably comprises a vehiclebody, modifiers and pigments, the following being an example of apreferred formulation thereof:

Ingredients Parts By Weight Wood rosin polymerized rosin 20 Polyamideresin 4 Hydrocarbon resin 2 Furnace carbon black 10 Channel carbon black4 Dispersant, lecithin 0.5 Total: 100.5

mixture was stirred until the consistency was that of molasses, a gallonbatch requiring about 35 minutes of mixing. The molten mixture was thenpoured onto a ceramic slab and cooled to a solid. The cooled solid wasground and pulverized in a hammer mill until the toner particles hadsizes in the range from about 5 microns to about 50 microns. Thereafterthe particles were screened to be sure that the particles utilized inthe toner were in the range from about 5 microns to about 50 microns.Particles smaller than about 5 microns are too small and cause dusting,whereas particles larger than about 50 microns provide poor toning 0!Imaging.

In a specific example of the toner 251, the wood rosin is that soldunder the designation WW Wood Rosin" by the Hercules Powder Company, thepolymerized rosin is that sold under the trademark Poly-Pale by theHercules Powder Company, the polyamide resin is that sold under thetrademark Versamid 930", the hydrocarbon resin is that sold under thetrademark Amoco resin 18-210, the furnace carbon black is that soldunder the trademark Statex F-l2,a the channel carbon black is that soldunder the trademark Carbolac 2 and the dispersant is that sold under thetrademark Despergan. Further details of the toner 251 composition andratios of the ingredients thereof and methods of making the toner 251may be found in the above-mentioned parent application Ser. No. 643,718.

Considering now further the method of utilizing the apparatus 200illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the master cards aresuccessively fed one by one from the magazine 231 onto the chute 232 andfrom there onto the conveying belts 233-234. At the same time, themaster tape 210 is being fed from the roll 201 thereof downwardly andaround the guide roller 203. Then the lower face thereof is pressedagainst the master cards 10, movement of the master tape 210 being underthe control of the tape feed mechanism 220 and the finger 221 engagingin the openings 211 in the master tape 210. The feed mechanism 220 andthe drive 237 for conveyer belts 233-234 operate stepwise to stop themaster tape 210 with the predetermined portion thereof disposed againstand covering the address 40 on a master card 10 disposed therebeneath atthe printing station 240 and in alignment with the infrared lamp 241.More specifically, the portion of the master tape 210 disposed betweentwo adjacent openings 211 is in registry with the address 40 on themaster card 10 disposed below the infrared lamp 241 as illustrated inFIG. 4. Energization of the lamp 241 vaporizes a portion of thesensitizer in the master card 10 onto the adjacent surface of the mastertape 240. The infrared radiation from the lamp 241 is preferentiallyabsorbed by the pigments in the address 40, whereby the sensitizer isvaporized from those areas of the card 10 covered by the address 40. Thesensitizer as it is vaporized from the card 10 is immediately condensedand cooled on the adjacent surface of the master tape 210 to providethereon sensitizer film that reproduces the address 40 to form in effecta latent image of the address thereon,

The above described process is repeated rapidly at the printing station240, after which the master tape 210, with the latent image of anaddress is sensitizer master cards 10 to which the master tape 210 wasexposed.

At the sarne time the exposed master cards 10 are delivered by theconveyer belts 233-234 to the receptacle 238 therefor. The sensitizer inthe master cards 10 adjacent to the address areas 40 therein quicklymigrates by capillary and osmotic action into the address areas 40 toreplenish the sensitizer therein,-

thereby to render it possible shortly thereafter again to print a latentimage in sensitizer of the address 40 on another master tape 210. It hasbeen found that as many as eight or more impressions can be taken from amaster card 10 in a normal working day, and up to a total of 500 or moremay be made from a single master card 10 before it is necessary toreplenish the sensitizer therein.

There are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings the details ofthe structure of the master tape 210 carrying the addresses thereon inbodies of partially fused toner. Referring first to FIG. 5, there isshown a section of the master tape 210 with the longitudinal axisthereof arranged vertically with three of the openings 211 thereinillustrated defining therebetween two predetermined address carryingportions 212 and 214, respectively. Arranged in the predeterminedportion 212 is an address 215 and arranged in the predetermined portion214 is an address 217, the addresses 215 and 217 being backward readingi,e., reading from right to left. As is illustrated in FIG. 6, theaddresses 215 and 217 comprise bodies of fused toner adhered to theunderlying surface of the master tape 210. The partially fused tonerbodies forming the addresses 215 and 217 have a certain amount ofelasticity and resilience whereby the master tape 210 may be rewoundinto roll form as at 260 in FIG. 3, the roll 260 being supported upon anaxle 261. The roll 260 of the master tape 210 with the several addresses215, 217, 219, etc. thereon can be stored substantially indefinitely andfurther can be transferred as an article of commerce at such time as theaddresses thereon are required for mailing or the like.

There is illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings a diagrammaticrepresentation of an apparatus 300 and a method for transferring theaddresses 215, 217, 219, etc. from the master tape 210 onto a suitablereceptor sheet such as a plurality of envelopes 330. In the apparatus300, the roll 260 of master tape 210 is supported upon an axle 301 sothat the master tape 210 can be readily fed therefrom and around a guideroller 302 to an addressing station 310 where the addresses on themaster tape 210 are transferred onto the envelope 330. From theaddressing station 310, the master tape 210 is fed around a guide roller303 and up to a takeup roll 201 of the master tape 210 mounted on 7 anaxle 304.

The envelopes 330 are contained in a magazine 331 and are fed therefromonto and down a chute 332 onto an envelope feed mechanism 320 includinga feed belt 32]. supported by a plurality of rollers 322 and a driveroller 323 connected to a suitable stepwise drive mechanism 324. Theenvelope feed mechanism 320 serves to feed the envelope 330 sequentiallyto the addressing station 310 at which is positioned a mechanism 311 forpressing a heated member 312 against the rear surface of the master tape210 positioned above an envelope 330, the envelope 330 and the belt 321being supported by a backup bed or platen 314. After leaving theaddressing station 310, the tape 210 is wound upon the roll 201, theaxle 304 being suitably driven by a drive mechanism 305 and theaddressed envelopes 330 are delivered to a receptacle 333 therefor.

Considering now more specifically the method of operation of the addresstransferring apparatus 300, the addresses such as the addresses 215, 217and 219 on the outer surface of the master tape 210 are carried by themaster tape 210 to the addressing station 310, the addresses such as theaddress 215 being disposed downwardly. The envelope feed mechanism 320operates sequentially to feed envelopes 330 received from the magazine331 sequentially one by one to the addressing station 310 to place theenvelope below a predetermined one of the addresses, such as the address215, on the master tape 210. The master tape 210 and the envelope 330are both stopped at the addressing station 310 after which the mechanism311 is operated to press the heated member 312 against the rear of themaster tape 210 to heat the partially fused bodies of toner forming theaddress 215 above the fusion point thereof, for example to a temperaturein the range of about 225 to about 250 F., and to press the bodies oftoner forming the address 215 against the adjacent surface of theenvelope 330. In this operation, the bodies of partially fused tonerforming the address 215 are substantially completely transferred fromthe surface of the master tape 210 onto the adjacent surface of theenvelope 330, and also the bodies of toner forming the address 215 arefully fused to provide on the envelope 330 bodies of fully fused tonerarranged to provide the address 40 on the master card 10 that wasutilized to provide the address 215 on the master tape 210.

The transfer of the toner from the master tape 210 and the envelope 330to provide an address on the envelope 330 is facilitated by the factthat there is substantially no adherence between the toner bodies andthe surface of the master tape 210, it being pointed out that thesurface of the master tape 210 is non-porous, oleophobic, and possessesgood release characteristics. The surface of the envelope 330 on theother hand has a good affinity for the bodies of toner forming theaddress, thereby materially to facilitate the transfer of the tonerbodies thereto. As a result, there is provided on the envelope 330 aforward reading, i.e., left to right reading, reproduction in toner ofthe address 40 on the original corresponding master card 10. As theaddresses on the master tape 210 are transferred onto the envelopes 330sequentially, a group of envelopes is provided having addresses thereoncorresponding to the addresses on the group of master cards 10 that werein the magazine 231.

It will be appreciated that other suitable apparatus may be utilized inplace of the apparatus 300 illustrated in FIG. 7 to transfer theaddresses on the master tape 210 onto the envelope 330. For example, amachine sold under the trademark Cheshire Model 514" is particularlyuseful for this purpose. In fact any suitable machine that will supply aheated member or platen that will heat the bodies of toner to atemperature above the fusion point thereof and apply a pressure theretowill be suitable for this purpose.

From the above it will be seen that there has been provided an improvedaddressing system incorporating therein improved apparatus and methodswhich fulfill all of the objects and advantages set forth above. It willbe understood that the information on the master cards 10 need not beaddresses but may be any other form of information arranged in indiciaformed of infrared ab sorption material, wherein it is desired toduplicate those indicia in a sequential manner on receptor sheets suchas the envelopes 330 described above.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for transferring indicia from a group of master cardsonto a master tape, wherein each master card has thereon indicia ofinfrared absorbing material and vaporizable material in the area of theindicia, and wherein the master tape has a non-porous oleophobic surfacehaving resin release characteristics and is transparent to infraredradiation, said apparatus comprising a printing station having a firstsource of infrared radiation thereat, a first feed mechanism for feedingthe master cards sequentially to said printing station to position amaster card with the indicia thereon in position to be exposed to saidfirst source of infrared radiation, a second feed mechanism for feedingthe master tape to said printing station to position a predeterminedportion of the master tape with one surface thereof disposed immediatelyadjacent to the indicia on a master car positioned at said printingstation, means for operating said first source of infrared radiationafter feeding a master card and a predetermined portion of the mastertape to said printing station to vaporize from the master card a portionof the vaporizable material from areas corresponding to the indiciathereon onto the one surface of the predetermined portion of the mastertape to provide on the master tape vaporizable material arranged inareas corresponding to the indicia, and means for applying a toner tothe one surface of the master tape to adhere toner to the vaporizablematerial thereon in areas corresponding to the indicia, thereby toprovide a continuous master tape having on the predetermined portionsthereof bodies of toner in areas corresponding to the indicia on thegroup of master cards.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a thirdfeed mechanism for feeding receptor sheets sequentially to position areceptor sheet against the bodies of toner on the master tapecorresponding to the indicia on a master card, and means for applyingheat and pressure to the master tape and the receptor sheet to transferthe bodies of toner to the receptor sheet and fully to fuse the tonerthereby to provide on the receptor sheet bodies of fully fused toner inan area corresponding to the indicia on a master card.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2, wherein said means for applyingheat and pressure to the master tape and the receptor sheet applies apressure at a temperature above about 225 F.

4. An apparatus for transferring indicia from a group of master cardsonto a master tape, wherein each master card has thereon indicia ofinfrared absorbing material and vaporizable material in the area of theindicia,

and wherein the master tape has a non-porous oleophobic surface havingresin release characteristics and is transparent to infrared radiation,said apparatus comprising a printing station having a first source ofinfrared radiation thereat, a first feed mechanism for feeding themaster cards sequentially to said printing station to position a mastercard with the indicia thereon in position to be exposed to said firstsource of infrared radiation, a second feed mechanism for feeding themaster tape to said printing station to position a predetermined portionof the master tape with one surface thereof disposed immediatelyadjacent to the indicia on a master card positioned at said printingstation, means for operating said first source of infrared radiationafter feeding of a master card and a predetermined portion of the mastertape to said printing station to vaporize from the master card a portionof the vaporizable material from areas corresponding to the indiciathereon onto the one surface of the predetermined portion of the mastertape to provide on the master tape vaporizable material arranged inareas corresponding to the indicia, means for applying a toner to theone surface of the master tape thereby to adhere toner to thevaporizable material thereon in areas corresponding to the indicia, anda second source of infrared radiation for at least partially fusing thetoner on the master tape, thereby to provide a continuous master tapehaving on the predetermined portions thereof bodies of partially fusedtoner in areas corresponding to the indicia on the group of mastercards.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein said first feed mechanismstops the master card at said printing station and said second feedmechanism stops said master tape at said printing station, the mastercard and the master tape at the printing station being stationary duringthe operation of said first source of infrared radiation.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein the side of the mastercard carrying the indicia is in contact with the adjacent one surface ofthe master tape during the operation of said first source of infraredradiation.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, and further comprising a thirdfeed mechanism for feeding receptor sheets sequentially to position areceptor sheet against the bodies of partially fused toner on the mastertape corresponding to the indicia on a master card, and means forapplying heat and pressure to the master tape and the receptor sheet totransfer said bodies of artially fused toner to the receptor sheet andfull to use said toner thereby to provide on the receptor s eet bodies.of fully fused toner in an area corresponding to the indicia on a mastercard.

8. An apparatus for transferring addresses from a group of master cardsonto a master tape, wherein each master card has thereon an address ininfrared absorbing material and vaporizable sensitizer in the area ofthe address, and wherein the master tape has a nonporous oleophobicsurface having resin release characteristics and is transparent toinfrared radiation, said apparatus comprising a printing station havinga first source of infrared radiation thereat, a first feed mechanism forfeeding the master cards sequentially to said printing station toposition a master card with the address thereon in position to beexposed to said first source of infrared radiation, a second feedmechanism for feeding the master tape to said printing station toposition a predetermined portion of the master tape with one surfacethereof disposed immediately adjacent to the address on a master cardpositioned at said printing station, means for operating said firstsource of infrared radiation after feeding of a master card and apredetermined portion of the master tape to said printing station tovaporize from the master card a portion of the vaporizable sensitizerfrom areas corresponding to the address thereon onto the one surface ofthe predetermined portion of the master tape to provide on the mastertape a film of sensitizer arranged in areas corresponding to theaddress, means for applying a toner to the one surface of the mastertape thereby to adhere toner to the sensitizer thereon in areascorresponding to the address, and a second source of infrared radiationfor at least partially fusing the toner on the master tape, thereby toprovide a continuous master tape having on predetermined portionsthereof bodies of partially fused toner in areas corresponding to theaddresses on the group of master cards.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8, and further comprising a thirdfeed mechanism for feeding receptor sheets sequentially to position areceptor sheet against the bodies of partially fused toner on the mastertape corresponding to the address on a master card, and means forapplying heat and pressure to the master tape and the receptor sheet totransfer the bodies of partially fused toner to the receptor sheet andfully to fuse the toner thereby to provide on the receptor sheet bodiesof fully fused toner in an area corresponding to the address on a mastercard.

